


Kingdom Come

by brightnail



Series: Gods of Hockey [6]
Category: American Gods - Neil Gaiman, Hockey RPF
Genre: Crossover, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 23:45:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11747652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightnail/pseuds/brightnail
Summary: A cursed god can crossover and a demi-god can be called up. It is a rare case when both happen to a god at the same time.





	Kingdom Come

Sidney wasn’t expecting the call when it came, though maybe he should have. Many things had changed since Don Cherry and Gary Bettman had been exiled. Pierre McGuire had risen higher as a god of hockey bureaucracy, filling the hole that Bettman left behind. Many gods had tried to move into the space Cherry had filled previously, even Sidney’s old teammates James Neal, the cursed god of Hockey dirt plays, and Matt Cooke, the cursed god of Hockey agitators. However, none of them quite filled the role as the former cursed god of Hockey conflict did.

It was Patrice Bergeron that contacted him. Patrice’s prayer reverberated in Sidney’s head, as all prayers from his fellow gods did. Was it so hard to pick up a phone these days? ‘ _I’m calling in a favor for my assistance during the conflict with Don Cherry_ ,’ Patrice prayed. Sidney noticed the way that Geno stopped talking mid speech. He was obviously receiving the prayer as well. Sidney wasn’t sure he owed Patrice a favor. The Hockey god of two-way players really had _volunteered_ his assistance, without being asked at the time. Sidney decided he might as well hear Patrice out however. ‘ _Come to The Garden in ten minutes._ ’

Back to Boston, huh?

Sidney met Geno’s eyes and saw his husband nod his head. ‘ _Geno and I will be there_ ,’ Sidney sent back in a prayer. Seriously, why couldn’t the god just send out a group text? These divine prayers always left Sidney with a bit of a headache. Sidney reached out automatically and healed the beginning of a headache he knew that Geno would be experiencing as well.

Geno grabbed his hand after it pulled back from his cheek and dropped a kiss on his fingertips. “Best.” Geno told him simply.

“I wonder what this is about.” Sidney voiced aloud as they arrived at the Boston Bruins home arena. They entered through the main doors. It was closed to the public right now, being close to midnight in Boston.

“It’s Marchy,” A cheerful voice called from behind them.

Sidney turned to see Tyler Seguin practically bouncing in place behind them. He seemed gleeful, but also a tiny bit worried.

“Brad Marchand?” Sidney clarified.

“Yup,” Tyler was practically vibrating with nervous anticipation. “He’s been called up. He’s also crossing over.”

Geno gaped and Sidney was sure he wasn’t much better. “At the same time?”

“Yes,” Jamie Benn answered next to Tyler. “We’ve been called in to witness and hopefully lend our strength to the crossover.” He appeared more worried for his lover than for Marchand.

Sidney had never actually attended a crossover before. Crossovers took place when a cursed god received enough prayers and worship from their followers to outweigh the curses of the masses. It was how a cursed god became a traditional god instead.

Being called up was the process by which a demi-god became a god. There was always a chance that the powers of Hockey could reject the mortal destined for godhood, and they would either stay mortal or die. If a crossover did not go properly, the worship and the curses would simply negate themselves and the cursed god would just disperse from existence. For Marchand to be transitioning through both at the same time…

“Is even possible to do both at one time?” Geno wondered aloud.

“Marchy’s never cared much about taking the easy path.” Tyler said, anxiety showing a bit more strongly than his happiness now. Sidney knew that Marchand and Tyler had been close when Tyler was first drafted to the Bruins as a mortal, but he’d had no idea that the god of impulsivity and passion still felt so strongly about his friend. Then again, passion had always run deeply in Tyler. Hence his dominion.

When a mortal began the process of becoming a god, they were considered a demi-god. Most mortals – unlike Sidney and Geno who ascended within their mortal lives – continued their mortal life until death, and upon their death, they would be called up and finish the transition to godhood. For Marchand to be transitioning from a demi-god tonight, it must mean that he was at the end of his life.

When the group of four gods moved toward the Bruins’ ice, they found Patrice standing at the center with a little old man in his 90’s. He was a delicate looking old man, all creped fragile skin and stooped back. He was standing on the ice solidly though, as though he belonged nowhere else. He also had a huge smile on his face.

There were skates set aside for the four of them. Sidney wasn’t sure he wanted to know how Patrice knew his exact skate measurement.  Soon the other four gods were skating onto the ice with Patrice and Marchand.

“Marchy!” Tyler slide to a stop right before the fragile looking Marchand.

“Segs,” Marchand’s voice was the exact same as it had always been, regardless of his changed appearance.

Tyler gave Marchand a gentle hug while both Patrice and Jamie looked on fondly.

“Thank you for coming.” Patrice said. “Am I correct in assuming that Tyler told you why I asked you here?”

“Called up and crossing over,” Geno said.

“Exactly. Brad doesn’t do anything by halves,” Patrice said. “Sidney, I’m hoping you would be willing to lend your power to help assist Brad beyond his limits, and Geno, I had hoped your power could help Brad adjust to the change more positively.”

Patrice then turned to Tyler and Jamie, “I’m hoping Jamie that your power with authority will help with Brad’s crossing over as a traditional god. And Tyler…”

“Energy,” Tyler said, bouncing a little, even on the ice.

Patrice nodded, “And I will be providing defense against… dispersion.”

Sidney shivered at the last word. Dispersion was the final death of a god.

“Marchy?!” Tyler called, bring attention to Marchand who was clutching his chest and dropping down to his knees.

“It’s time,” Patrice said, voice attempting detachment, but obviously effected by witnessing his friend’s heart attack.

Sidney moved forward with the other gods to crouch at Marchand’s side as Tyler helped easy him down on the ice. Sidney had to be very careful not to start healing Marchand before the transition began, or else he risked simply continuing his human life rather than boosting his godly ascendance.

Tyler and Patrice were the first to lay their hands on Marchand, empowering the change and defending against dispersion. Feeling the cursed power start to set in, Geno laid his hands on Marchand next, to encourage the crossover. Jamie was the next to do so, pushing the authority of changing to a traditional god, making a more direct route to the power of Hockey. Feeling the cursed power begin to change to the more soothing power of a traditional god, Sidney laid his hands down next, pushing as much healing magic as he could into Marchand’s already changing body, pushing it beyond its normal limitations.

Before Sidney’s eyes, he watched the ascendance take place. Marchand’s body seemed to regress in age until it reached the peak of his physical health, looking as he did as Sidney remembered playing him as a mortal.

Marchand sat up with a gasp, looking around at the five gods. A huge smile broke over his face. “Brad, Hockey god of strategy.”

“Welcome to the family!” Tyler told him enthusiastically, throwing himself forward with a tackling hug. Jamie just watched on adoringly as his lover practically mauled another man.

“Thank you,” Patrice told them quietly.

“No problem,” Sidney told him, happy to have been able to help.

It was always good to have more gods on their side in case another conflict took place. Sidney never knew what the future might hold...

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave fic prompts! They are always appreciated.


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